


those hands that pulled me from the earth

by ohtempora



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Canon Compliant, Episode: s15e20 Carry On, Fix-It, M/M, Missing Scene, Series Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:41:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27639698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohtempora/pseuds/ohtempora
Summary: "Almost time," Castiel says.Bobby nods, looks out towards the horizon, like there's a horizon to look out to, instead of endless, beautiful stretches of open road. "He's not gonna ask to be saved."(Missing scene finale fix-it fic).
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 8
Kudos: 178





	those hands that pulled me from the earth

**Author's Note:**

> look, i haven't watched this show since i was like 15, i watched the finale tonight totally blind, it's a sign, i was disappointed, here is an attempt at filling at least _some_ gaps in while we all look forward to the mountains of much better fix-it fic, time to ignore all the whack theological questions because this is supernatural!!

It's only Bobby hanging around, drinking beer outside the bar, face tipped up to the sun. He doesn't look surprised when Castiel pops into appearance, gives him a lazy salute and a half-smile. 

"Almost time," Castiel says. He sits down. 

Bobby nods, looks out towards the horizon, like there's a horizon to look out to, instead of endless, beautiful stretches of open road. Every tree in Heaven is evergreen. "He's not gonna ask to be saved."

"I know."

"He thought it'd be like this, you know. How he'd go. Back when he was a kid — eighteen, nineteen, angry as all get out, pissed at his dad. Single-minded." Bobby chuckles. "Relentless, even. I used to worry he'd get himself killed charging in on his own doing something damn stupid, that it would all be for naught. Guess I should have known. Dean always wanted to die with a gun in his hand. Sam wanted to die of old age, right - Dean wanted to go down fighting." 

Castiel knows, of course, knows with the certainty of someone who once gripped Dean's soul and held it tight. But there's knowing and then there's knowing, the way Bobby's learned everything about Dean. He's learned that. It took him so much time. 

"It wasn't for naught," he says.

"Maybe it's okay, then," Bobby shrugs, easy. "Different kind of death sentence than he thought he'd get." He takes a long gulp of his drink. "Don't think my shitty beer ever tasted so good back on Earth." He offers one of the bottles from his six-pack to Castiel, who takes it, twists off the cap and sticks it in his pocket. 

It tastes like drinking beer with Dean. Sitting in dive bars around the country, or shitty motel rooms, or perched on the hood of the Impala, music playing from the tape. Six-packs purchased with stolen credit cards in gas stations or corner stores, cold from the cooler, condensation dampening his palms. Sometimes he'd shown up; sometimes he hadn't been wanted. Sometimes he'd been summoned. He hadn't understood until one day he did. 

"Sam will be happy," Castiel says finally, when his beer is half-gone and Bobby's started in on drink number two. "In time, truly, he will. He deserves that."

Dean could ask, Sam could ask — Cas, Jack, he's got options for divine influence — he could still ask. Castiel could pull him to safety like he's done so many times before.

Dean doesn't ask.

"You waiting for the big event, or just wanted to chat?" Bobby asks. "I'm fine here either way." He waves his hand and another six-pack appears. Dean's beer, this time. Cas thinks about a corner store at midnight in Ohio a decade ago. Dean hadn't known he was watching. He'd been flirting with the clerk, stretched the transaction out a moment too long for Sam, who was waiting and complaining in the car. Castiel had wanted, more than he'd ever thought he could. Wanted a human, who cursed and fought and bled, was imperfect, took so long to accept he couldn't be anything else. Dean, who used to be so scared to go home.

"Just wanted to chat," Castiel says. He finishes the last of his beer. It stayed cold while he held it. The bottle didn't warm under the heat of his hand; it's so different here than down on Earth. "I'll come back."

"But not yet, huh?" Bobby's smile is kind. A little too knowing.

"I'm sure I'll be back." 

Bobby laughs at the edit. "Kid needs time too, fucked as that concept gets up here." 

"I know." Castiel could say something else, do his best to sounds all-knowing about souls or salvation. He doesn't. "Thank you for the drink, Bobby. I appreciated it."

"Hey, I'll tell him," Bobby says, "He'll like it here. The bar, the beer, the car. You got it all right. Whatever he's expecting to find when he gets here, you got it right."

"Thank you," Castiel murmurs, and then he's gone, just as Dean arrives. He looks surprised, when he sets eyes on Bobby, lit by the sun, surrounded by all the green. He looks good. Even in Heaven, Castiel's heart clenches hard.

"What it always should have been," Bobby says to Dean, down below. "Everyone happy, everyone together."

Tore down all the walls, Bobby said. Castiel knows he's right. He's already waited. Everyone happy, everyone together. It'll come sooner than he thinks. 

**Author's Note:**

> i am sure i managed plot errors in a 700 word fic and if so, i am sorry. one day i'll write the comedy of errors of dean chasing cas around heaven that my high school self deserves.


End file.
